DIXON DROPS CLANGER
DEFENDER Carl Winchester rifled the goal which kept SUNDERLAND in the top two with a 1-0 victory, but he owed a debt of gratitude to BOLTON goalkeeper Joel Dixon, who dropped the ball into his path on the goalline. Amazingly, it was Winchester’s third goal in four home games and it earned him a pat on the back from boss Lee Johnson. ‘Carl is a class player, he finishes like that in training all the time,’ Johnson said. ‘With my rose-tinted glasses on, we should have killed them off with some wonderful flowing football.’ Sunderland and WIGAN, who beat CHELTENHAM 2-0, are locked on 19 points at the top of the table. Callum Lang and Charlie Wyke were on target. ‘They showed why they are top of the league,’ said Cheltenham boss Michael Duff. ‘We were beaten by a better team.’ Nigel Adkins turned the boos of
CHARLTON fans into cheers as his team twice pegged back PORTSMOUTH to finish with a battling 2-2 draw. ‘We showed a lot of spirit and responded in the right manner,’ said Adkins. Counterpart Danny Cowley moaned: ‘This is the second time we’ve been pegged back and it’s hard to take.’ PLYMOUTH extended their unbeaten run to eight games by beating DONCASTER 2-1. Conor Grant scored from the spot in the dying seconds and Rovers boss Richie Wellens was sent off for his protests at the penalty decision. ‘I got sent off for kicking an empty bottle,’ Wellens said later.